Mini-Box unveils VoomPC-2 for in-car computing

While folks have been spinning the whole "PC in your whip" idea for nearly as long as trunks have become acceptable substitutes for low-hertz safe havens, many get a bit turned off when thinking about the lengthy DIY involvements. Mini-Box has unveiled the second rendition of its VoomPC, and aside from bearing an eerie resemblance to your average automotive speaker amplifier, looks to pack a decent set of specs into a tight package at a reasonable price. The VoomPC-2 is again based on the Mini-ITX standard, and houses a 1.5GHz VIA C7 processor, CD-ROM to 2.5-inch IDE adapter, open hard drive bay, and an assortment of ports including VGA, S-Video, USB 2.0, FireWire, Ethernet, PCMCIA, GPRS / WiFi options, and 5.1 audio output. The standout feature, however, is the M1-ATX intelligent power supply that "manages downtime battery use by cutting off various functions at predetermined times and shuts the PC down completely when the car battery drops below 11.2 volts." Additionally, the unit only draws 15 to 35 watts in operation, and has been tested to work in environments ranging from -40 to 55 degrees Celsius. So if you're looking to take your tunes, media, maps, and company projects along with you to check out while waiting in various forms of traffic jams, you can pick up this barebones kit for $395 starting right now.